Stand-up blister packages



c. w. MIDDLETON, JR, ETAL 3,093,244

June 11, 1963 STAND-UP BLISTER PACKAGES Filed NOV. 2, 1961 United States Patent Connecticut Filed Nov. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 149,666

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-78) This invention relates generally to the field of blister packaging of the type in which a synthetic resinous blister element is sealed to a generally planar base element, usually of fibrous material, in such manner as to enclose an article of merchandise beneath the blister, to be maintained by the base element which forms a closure therefor.

To adapt such packaging for attractive display on a merchandise counter or similar location, it is often desirable that means be provided wherein the package may maintain itself in an erect condition, the blister element and enclosed article facing a potential customer. While it is possible to provide the rear surface of the fibrous base element with additional bracing structure for this purpose, such structure adds to the cost of the package, and causes the package to occupy more space within'a larger container when the blister package is packed for shipping. Other constructions have provided for a downwardly extending protrusion which forms a forward support leg while cutting away a major portion of the sealing flange disposed rearwardly of said protrusion when the package is vertically oriented. The principal disadvantage with this type of structure lies in the fact that if the blister element is so distorted, wherein the cross section of the protrusion becomes thin, the protrusion tends to collapse under load. Further, in the heat-sealing of the blister to the base element, the area disposed immediately rearwardly of the protrusion cannot be sealed, with a consequent weakening at this point. By making the protrusion smaller, more sealing can be effected at the base element, or a larger protrusion may be formed at the expense of less sealing. The best compromise of these variables is normally unsatisfactory.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved stand-up blister package in which the above-mentioned disadvantages have been substantially eliminated.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved blister package of the type described in which the cost of fabrication may be directly comparable with prior art devices, thereby permitting consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improved blister package of a stand-up type which may be manufactured using existing packaging machinery without extensive modification thereof.

A feature of the invention lies in the provision of an improved bead provided in the blister element of the package extending substantially coaxially with the line of interconnection of the lower wall of the blister with the planar portion of the blister, to facilitate bending of the planar portion of the blister element after the same has been laminated to a fibrous or other base element.

These objects and features, as Well as other incidental ends and advantages, Will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view in perspective of an em bodiment of the invention prior to lamination of the individual elements.

3,093,244 Patented June 11, 1963 FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view thereof following the laminating operation.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view showing the embodiment in self-supporting relation with respect to a table or other horizontal surface.

FIGURE 4 is a similar side elevational view showing a first alternate form of the embodiment.

FIGURE 5 is a similar side elevational view showing a second alternate form of the embodiment.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly a base element 11 and a blister element 12.

The base element 11 is preferably formed of fibrous material, as is well-known in the art, including a forward surface 14 which may be coated with a thermoplastic layer (not shown), a rear surface 15, an upper edge 16, side edges 17 and 18, and a lower edge 19. Extending parallel to and above the lower edge 19 is a score or crease line 20 defining a line having a predisposition to bend, the purpose of which will more fully appear.

The blister element 12 includes a planar portion 12a bounded by a forward surface 21, a rear surface 22, an upper edge 23, side edges 24 and 25, and a lower edge 26. Disposed centrally of the planar portion 12a is a blister portion 27, which may be of conventional configuration, interconnected with the planar portion at an upper edge 28, side edges 29 and 30, and a lower edge 31. Extending transversely across the planar portion 12a at the lower edge 31 is a bead 32 which, when the blister element 12 is laminated to the base element 11, directly overlies the score or crease line 20.

When employed as a stand-up blister package, the nowintegrated planar portion 12a and base element 11 are bent rearwardly along the line 20, wherein the lower surface 33 of the blister may cooperate with the bent underportion of the forward surface 21 as indicated in FIGURE 3 in the drawing. The additional material provided by the head 32 permits a fold along the line 20 which will retain itself without difficulty, and which will not exhibit any tendency to return to its initial coplanar position with respect to the remaining parts of the planar portion 12a.

Turning now to the first alternate form of the invention, illustrated in FIGURE 4, parts corresponding to those of the principal form have been designated by similar reference characters with the addition of the suffix b.

In the first alternate form of the invention, the bead 32b is placed slightly above the lower edge 31b, rather than directly co-planar with it, to obtain a substantially equivalent result.

Turning now to the second alternate form of the invention, parts corresponding to those of the principal form have been designated by similar reference characters with the addition of the suffix c.

The second alternate form of the invention differs from the principal form in the placing of the bead 32c slightly below the edge 31c to also provide a similar result.

It may thus be seen that we have invented novel and highly useful improvements in stand-up type blister packages, in which there has been provided structure whereby the lower portion of an integrated package may be bent rearwardly to cooperate with the lower surface of the blister, wherein the package may maintain itself in erect condition without any tendency to return to its original state and subsequently fall over. By the incorporation of a novel transversely extending bead in the blister element, the bending of the assembled device is materially facilitated, and the manually imparted bent condition maintained for an indefinite period without difiiculty.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

We claim:

1. In a blister package including a planar base element, and a blister element having a planar portion laminated to said base element in hermetically sealed relation thereto, the improvement comprising: said blister element ineluding a blister portion having a lower surface disposed in a plane perpendicular to that of said base element, there being an elongated beaded portion extending across said planar portion of said blister element in the area of said lower surface, said base element having a predisposition to bend in the elongated area disposed immediately below said bead.

2. In a blister package including a planar base element, and a blister element having a planar portion laminated to said base element in hermetically sealed relation thereto, the improvement comprising: said blister element including a blister portion having a lower surface disposed in a plane perpendicular to that of said base element, there being an elongated beaded portion extending across said planar portion of said blister element in the plane of said lower surface, said base element having a predisposition to bend in the elongated area disposed immediately below said head.

3. In a blister package including a planar base element,

and a blister element having a planar portion laminated to said base element in hermetically sealed relation thereto, the improvement comprising: said blister element including a blister portion having a lower surface disposed in a plane perpendicular to that of said base element, there being an elongated beaded portion extending across said planar portion of said blister element disposed a short distance below the plane of said lower surface, said base element having a predisposition to bend in the elongated area disposed immediately below said bead.

4. In a blister package including a planar base element, and a blister element having a planar portion laminated to said base element in hermetically sealed relation thereto, the improvement comprising: said blister element including a blister portion having a lower surface disposed in a plane perpendicular to that of said base element, there being an elongated beaded portion extending across said planar portion of said blister element disposed at short distance above the plane of said lower surface, said base element having a predisposition to bend in the elongated area disposed immediately below said head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,303,344 Erne Dec. 1, 1942 2,950,004 Acomb Aug. 23, 1960 3,018,879 Crane Jan. 30, 1962 

1. IN A BLISTER PACKAGE INCLUDING A PLANAR BASE ELEMENT, AND A BLISTER ELEMENT HAVING A PLANAR PORTION LAMINATED TO SAID BASE ELEMENT IN HERMETICALLY SEALED RELATION THERETO, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: SAID BLISTER ELEMENT INCLUDING A BLISTER PORTION HAVING A LOWER SURFACE DISPOSED IN A PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THAT OF SAID BASE ELEMENT, THERE BEING AN ELONGATED BEADED PORTION EXTENDING ACROSS SAID PLANAR PORTION OF SAID BLISTER ELEMENT IN THE AREA OF SAID LOWER SURFACE, SAID BASE ELEMENT HAVING A PREDISPOSITION TO BEND IN THE ELONGATED AREA DISPOSED IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID BEAD. 